A recently retired engineer has trumped the competition to win a national rail industry award.
Ilford-based John Coates, 65, has won the national Depot Staff of the Year prize at this year’s RailStaff Awards 2012, held last week in Birmingham.
Mr Coates has worked for the borough’s main train provider, Greater Anglia, based at Ilford Train Maintenance Depot for almost 50 years.
The Romford resident joined the rail industry in 1962 as a teenage apprentice coppersmith and worked his way up to maintenance manager responsible for the depot.
Fleet manager, Jason Carey, said: “I’d like to congratulate John on receiving this award. The Railstaff awards are always hotly contested and for John to receive this award is a great achievement.
“I can think of no one more deserving.”
The RailStaff Awards is an annual industry wide event recognising the hard work and professionalism of the men and women who work on Britain’s railways every day.
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